Storm
by WiseGirl1609
Summary: Crutchie finds himself in a very bad situation, with lots of loss. He deals with it the best he can, while Jack struggles along with him.
1. Chapter 1

**Storm**

 **For Newsies Pape Selling Competition**

 **Task 4**

 **Word Count: 3174**

Crutchie's head was spinning. He couldn't make the decision. He was over analyzing everything. Loss on both sides, gains on both sides. Live an easy life, or risk the real world? He clutched at his hair in desperation. Was there any right decision? Any chance of forgiveness for what he would decide to choose? Any peace? Any sense of finality? Any escape from torment? His skull seemed to be cracking in billions of pieces. What was causing him this trouble? Was it the change bubbling up inside of him? Was it his newfound weakness? What was it?

I suppose you would like to know how Crutchie got in this situation. Here, see if this helps.

Crutchie woke one morning with an extra painful leg. He found this out by rolling over and nearly screaming out when all his weight transferred to his bad leg and the left side of his torso. He frantically flipped onto his back, breathing hard. This pain was almost as bad as the day he became crippled. Jack peeked his head for over the top of Crutchie's bunk.

"Heya, pal. Youse okay?" Crutchie's expression must have been pretty terrified because Jack hopped nimbly down from the top bunk and landed quietly next to Crutchie.

"Crutch? Youse kinda pale-ish and your eyes are like," Jack motioned with his own eyes, pulling them open as far as they can go.

"How are youse keepin' them open? My eyes are dryin' and threatenin' to fall right outta my head!" Crutchie's breathing stopped being so heavy and slowly returned to normal as no weight was placed on his leg. He chuckled lightly at Jack's classic humor.

"I'm fine, Jackie. Doesn't your goilfriend need you today for youse… actually, I don't rememba the occasion, so youse outta luck." Katherine and Jack had been dating for the past couple months. It was smooth sailing so far, and the inevitable break up was on a faraway island, washed up on a rocky beach and acting as a piece of glass. The couple kissed frequently, and Crutchie often felt as if he was third wheeling. The worst was when Race took his date out on a double date with Jack and Katherine and Jack invited Crutchie. He was stuck in the middle of two couples. It was pretty much torture.

Katherine and Jack were constantly celebrating random holidays- 'second time I saw you', 'first time we brushed hands', 'the day you first flirted with me', 'the first day you visited me at work', etc. It was craziness, especially since it wasn't even the correct day they celebrated them on. It was just like, "oh. We haven't had a holiday in a week. Let's have one today!" Katherine always came up with the holidays and poor Jack had no idea what they were celebrating until Katherine told him. Luckily, Katherine took no offense at his forgetting. Technically, it wasn't forgetting… whatever. Crutchie could sometimes guess what the anniversaries were. If he had no ideas, Jack was as good as dead for guessing correctly and surprising Katherine by knowing what the occasion was.

"Dang it, Crutchie! You're right! You better?" Jack ran a stressed hand through his hair and rubbed his temple.

"Yeah. I might not sell papes today, though. My leg is hurtin' and I don' think I can walk."

"I'll tell Kloppman. Gotta go! Wish me luck!" Jack was already on the top stair. The rest of the boys were up by then and getting ready for the day. Crutchie sighed.

"Bye, Jack." Crutchie wouldn't ever admit it out loud, but he often envied Jack's abilities to get places quickly and efficiently. He wished he could suddenly be healed and he could run free without having to tow around a heavy, clunking crutch. Crutchie tried to sit up. His leg throbbed. He laid back down to try to ease the pain. Once again, the bum leg relaxed and stopped hurting. Crutchie was basically immobile that day. He spent the day in bed. Kloppman brought him some aspirin occasionally, which made him able to sit up for short periods of time so he could get his blood running again.

While he was stuck in the laying position, he read avidly until his arms ached from holding them above his head for hours on end. When they were shaking so badly he couldn't make out the words, he dropped his arms and counted the number of indents on the ceiling. He felt like he was going insane. The rest of the Newsies came back in, eventually, with food and many hellos. After a hot meal, Crutchie fell asleep.

His eyes flew open. It was still dark outside. He flicked his eyes from side to side to figure out what woke him up. It was a creaking sound coming from the door. He sighed in exasperation.

"Really, Jack? I thought you oiled the door!" Jack guiltily crept in.

"I got a little caught up that day. I sorta kinda mighta forgotten to oil it…" Crutchie shook his head.

"Youse woke me up!"

"I'm sorry! How is youse leg?" Crutchie experimentally wiggled his pajama-clad legs underneath his bedsheets. Minor pain. He sat up. No pain. He grabbed his crutch and stood up, being as quiet as possible. Pain, white pain. He stood there for a moment with his eyes closed. He was completely convinced he was going to pass out. Colors started making themselves known in the white space in front of his closed eyelids. Yellow, pink, baby blue. Lime green, orange, lavender. Black. His eyes fluttered open.

"Hurts," he muttered. Jack stood there, wide eyed.

"I can tell. You were swayin' and I thoight you was gonna fall over."

"Jackie… I dunno if my leg is gonna be okay. I think I must have twisted it last night and, Jack, I don't know if I can walk." Jack briskly made his way over to Crutchie and supported him. He forced Crutchie's legs forward and grimaced as he heard the sharp intake of breath given. Jack continued to walk Crutchie around the room until he was comfortable.

"Thanks, Jackie. But mebbe youse could be a little more gentle next time," Crutchie said, panting. They both crawled back in bed and instantly fell asleep.

The next morning, Crutchie hopped out of bed and limped around the room with his crutch as if he was miraculously healed. The boys all were amazed at the strength he suddenly had. Crutchie did have one more line on his young face, though. He now knew how easily his life could take a turn for the worse, and that worried him greatly.

He sold more papes than usual that day, probably because he looked so stressed and worn out. He retired to bed earlier than usual. His leg was still sore, but he hid the hurt well. He put on a facade of unperturbed indifference. Crutchie was nervous. His leg was fragile. Even when he was just moving it, he tensed up involuntarily.

The stress took a toll on him. It had been a week since the limb had become the cause of Crutchie's uselessness. He was thinner, paler, and altogether looking very sick. He stumbled more often. He hardly ever smiled. His cheerful attitude had started fading away. Jack was worried. He had never seen his best friend like this before. Even when Crutchie came back from the Refuge smiling and joking. He knew it wasn't just Crutchie's leg. Something had happened. Jack couldn't imagine what was worse than the Refuge, but he was very concerned for his friend.

Jack approached his crippled buddy on a Wednesday approximately a month after Crutchie's leg got twisted. He hesitantly came up to Crutchie and twisted his feet around, waiting for Crutchie to notice him. The boy's condition had steadily gone in a downward spiral. His skin was nearly translucent. The bags under his eyes were nearly black. He took fewer and fewer papes to sell every day and returned to nap earlier and earlier. Crutchie was oblivious to Jack's presence for quite a while. Jack opened his mouth to say something right when Crutchie spun on his heel and rammed right into Jack. As if they repelled each other, they both bounced backwards- Crutchie into a table and Jack into a wall.

"Oh my word, what did I do, stupid idiot, _sorry, Crutchie!_ " Many words came tumbling out of Jack's apologetic mouth. He rushed over to the table Crutchie was clutching and picked up everything that had fallen. In Crutchie's fragile state, that scare affected him more than it would have had he been in good health. His breath was shallow, his scrawny chest rose and fell rapidly, and he was even more pale.

"It's okay, Jack, as long as you have a good reason to scare me half to… death," he trailed off at the word 'death.' Jack took a deep breath, preparing himself.

"Tell me why youse acting like this. It has to be worse than the Refuge because youse didn' come back from da Refuge in dis… dis… condition. Please, Crutchie. I wanna help." Cruthcie sighed. He knew this was going to happen eventually. He was surprised Jack had been able to suppress his curiosity until now. It was longer than usual.

"Don't make me tell you. You don't want to know. And if you ask me to tell you, Ise has no choice. I have to tell you because youse my brudda."

"Tell me."

"Jack… Snyder is using me. He quietly escaped from jail, and found me when I was selling papes. He threatened me. He said if I told anyone where he was, he would- would," Crutchie looked down, tears coming to his eyes, "kill you."


	2. Chapter 2

Jack felt very lightheaded. Snyder. Escape. Threat. Possible death. It was all too much for him.

"You see why I haven't been doing well lately, don't youse?" Cruthcie quietly asked. Jack absently nodded his head. He could feel all his blood draining to his feet. He knew Snyder. Snyder could find out anything. He was always watching his prey. Unfortunately, his prey was Crutchie. No doubt, Jack had just signed his own death sentence. Crutchie warned him, but, no, he had to be stubborn and refuse to listen to his wise friend.

"Run," Crutchie whispered, pulling Jack into a final hug. "Run while you still have a chance. Maybe you'll get lucky and get away. Use an alibi wherever you end up. I'll be fine." Jack forcefully pushed back.

"You won't be fine! He will kill you once he finds out that Ise left! Come with me! Crutchie, I'm not leaving youse!" Crutchie looked at Jack with despair.

"I can't go far with my leg and no one really loves me 'cept you, Jack. Youse is strong enough to get along without me. You never needed me, anyway. I was da one who needed you." Jack stared, horrified, at Crutchie. Crutchie was resigned to his fate.

"No, Crutchie, I need you," he said brokenly.

"Go, Jack. Go."

"Crutchie…," he said raggedly.

"Go." Jack didn't try to hide the tears slipping down his cheeks. He embraced his friend tightly and sobbed silently into Crutchie's shirt.

"You aren't replaceable. I hope you find me again someday," he whispered with a voice full of emotions: hate for himself because he was leaving Crutchie to probably die, love for his brother, and sadness overpowering his emotions. He disappeared from Crutchie's arms knowing if he didn't leave then he would never be able to force himself to leave. Crutchie was left with a wet shirt and deep, deep regret. He let the tears he'd been holding back roll down his face like a storm invading his face. The rain poured and his sobs sounded like thunder. It felt like the lightning struck his heart and he cursed the storm for bringing him such misery. He felt like the rainbow would never come, and the storm was there to stay.

Minutes later, Crutchie was packed. He had planned an escape route for when Jack finally asked. He practically flew out the fire escape and ran as fast as he could with his bad leg and crutches. He skidded around a corner as he heard the phantom footsteps behind him. Terror ran through his veins. Snyder would be seconds behind as soon as he realized he was gone. He tried to keep the brewing storm contained, but he had no idea how big it was inside and that it was continuously growing. The thudding of his heart kept time to the beat of his steps and the line of his thoughts. Thud. Jack. Thud. Snyder. Thud. Stress. Thud. Help.

Crutchie heard Snyder behind him and this time it wasn't fake. The pain was torture. Both the physical and mental pain continued blooming. His heart and leg went numb. He'd dropped his crutches somewhere behind him and he winced with every step. His lead was dropping quickly, and his breathing got harder and harder. Pain. The pains clashed together as he realized there was nowhere to go. His home was running somewhere in the opposite direction. He stopped abruptly, then ran even faster.

Crutchie's head was spinning. He couldn't make the decision. He was over analyzing everything. Loss on both sides, gains on both sides. Live an easy life, or risk the real world? He clutched at his hair in desperation. Was there any right decision? Any chance of forgiveness for what he would decide to choose? Any peace? Any sense of finality? Any escape from torment? His skull seemed to be cracking in billions of pieces. What was causing him this trouble? Was it the change bubbling up inside of him? Was it his newfound weakness? What was it?

He knew he was changing. The struggle inside of him was rearranging his organs and his mind. His weakness was becoming more present as his already strained leg made him panicked and remember that one painful night. He stopped running. He doubled over in pain. He wasn't able to go any farther. His gimp leg collapsed underneath him and he fell. The fall to the ground seemed farther than possible. He hit the ground hard and his breath was knocked out of him.

He knew what to do. He could feel Snyder's breath on his neck.

"How are you gonna escape me now, weakling?" Snyder asked Crutchie as he put a knife to his neck. Crutchie felt no regret.

"I'm not," he said simply. Snyder wasn't expecting that answer and relieved the pressure slightly, but for just a moment. Crutchie didn't take his opening. Without Jack, he was nothing. The sharp metal began to draw blood and Crutchie closed his eyes. He knew he was making the right choice. He made himself turn inside and live his last few seconds thinking of Jack.

Jack, who rescued him countless times. Jack, his brother. Jack, the only one who cared for him. Jack, the only one Crutchie would die for. He heard no noise, he felt no pain.

He suddenly felt sobbing and a warm presence against his chest. He thought he was in heaven when he heard Jack's voice.

"Crutchie, Crutchie, no, don't die, no, please, no! I killed him. I did. To save you. But now I'm going to have that haunt me if you die. Don't die. Live, Crutchie, I'm here. Stay with me. Please. I need you." Crutchie forced himself to inhale. He couldn't.

Despair filled what little consciousness he had left. He fought for breath. He remembered why he needed to live.

Jack, the only one he would stay alive for.

Breath filled his lungs and he gasped. He took another breath, and another. Soon he was breathing almost regularly.

"Crutchie," Jack sobbed and let go of his brother. Without his lungs being crushed, he was able to regain breath even faster. He gently touched his neck and felt warm, sticky liquid on his neck. He inched his fingers up a little higher and felt the wound. No more blood was coming out and it was scabbed up already. He breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't move his neck, but he was alive.

Jack supported Crutchie all the way back to the nearest hospital. The nurses rushed him in and put him on life support. Once his chance of living was stable, Jack burst into the room like he was being chased by a bear.

"I can't believe you stayed," Crutchie whispered feebly.

"I knew I couldn't leave you, but I also knew Snyder was watching. I left and walked down the street and turned the corner. As soon as I saw you sprint out of the Lodge, I ran behind you. I had dis feeling of dread, dat you was gonna die. Crutchie, did you really think I would leave you? My only family?" Crutchie began to cry. This was why he was willing to die for Jack. Because of his kindness. His willing love.

Crutchie was released after a day. They had the jail pay for the hospital expenses because he was in there because of an escaped prisoner. The jail willing paid and apologized profusely. Jack had occasional nightmares about his kill, but knowing Crutchie was alive and still selling papes by his side kept most of them away.

Katherine also helped support Jack. They were more in love than ever before, and Crutchie was just waiting for a proposal to happen. Sure enough, they got married soon after Jack finally got the guts to ask for her hand. Crutchie was the best man, of course.

When Crutchie looked back at the experience he tired to only see the good- that Jack came back for him. He still slipped back into the memory of the pain and frustration and terror on an almost daily basis, though. He knew he was loved, and gradually that began to overrule the nightmares. His life began to be better than ever before. Jack and Crutchie were inseparable during the day, and he had a new friend named María to keep him company in the evening.

Oh, did I mention that María and Crutchie got married? Must have slipped my mind. They could contend with Jack and Katherine in the deepness of their love.

You see, the rainbow does come. No matter how bad things get, just remember, once you reach the bottom, the only way to go is up. The storm does end, the sun comes back out, and everything resolved itself.

Well, sometimes things aren't perfect. And change can be good or bad. The change inside him seemed bad because it taught him that life can change in a split second. It turned out to be good- he got Jack back and learned more about life. But at this moment in time, Crutchie glowed because he was so happy. He was on the peak of finding his pot of gold.


End file.
